


Lola

by RainbowArches



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-13
Updated: 2014-12-13
Packaged: 2018-03-01 07:43:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2765204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowArches/pseuds/RainbowArches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick gives Mack and Bobbi their mission.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lola

**Author's Note:**

> Slightly canon divergent where Mack is concerned.

“Thought I’d find you both here.”

Every generation at the academy had their own haunts. Nick still occasionally visited that old theatre. He and his friends used to break in and have picnics on the stage. He remembered digging Phil and Melinda out of that arcade every night. Bobbi and Mack were currently sitting forlornly at the bar after closing time. It was empty other than the three of them. Nick moved behind the bar and started fixing himself a drink.

Bobbi and Mack blinked at each other.

“As happy and surprised as I am to see you alive, Sir,” said Bobbi. “I don’t have the energy to make a big deal out of it.”

“Yeah, me neither,” said Mack. “Nothing personal.”

“That’s good, because I’d like to get to the point.” Mack pulled one of the stools over the bar so he could sit down. “Coulson’s rebuilding Shield and I have a feeling he’s going to try and get in touch with you, so don’t make yourself scarce. You’ll probably hear from him within the next few weeks. If you don’t, get his attention. I need the both of you on his team.”

“Why? What’s the problem?” Bobbi asked.

“Lola.”

“Lola?”

“The 62 Corvette I gave him as a get-well present.”

“Oh, Lola,” Mack said fondly, gazing into the distance. “I remember her.”

“Thought you might. She’s and AI, very inconspicuous, basically a doctor in disguise. She’s designed to monitor his brain activity and heart rate and send anything unusual directly to me.”

“That’s very… conscientious of you, Sir,” said Bobbi.

Nick knew it sounded weird. He’d feel better if he could share the details, but he had to leave that up to Coulson now. “He underwent an unusual and risky operation which I’m sure you’ll hear about soon. I felt I had cause to be concerned. I had friends keeping an eye on him too, but you know, humans and computers can catch different subtleties.”

“So what do you want us to do?”

Now came the hard part. This Hydra thing was taking a toll on him. He sighed. “A lot of people worked on that car when Shield was intact, and it has come to my attention that not all of them had Coulson’s best interests at heart.”

Mack nodded in understanding. “You think the program is corrupted. Hydra might have tampered with her.”

Nick shrugged. “That’s a possibility. I can vouch for the woman who designed her. I know for a fact that Lola’s programing was uncorrupted before she was installed, but I’m worried that Hydra might have already installed their own AI or a virus or something that could have infected her. Or maybe Hydra put something in after or, as you said, tampered with Lola’s programming. I don’t know for sure, but I do know Hydra worked on that car and I wouldn’t be surprised if they put their own touches on it. I need you two to find anything Hydra put in there and get rid of it, and if at all possible, save Lola. You guys might need her.”

Mack and Bobbi looked at each other. “We can do that. But why aren’t you telling Coulson this?” Bobbi asked.

“He doesn’t know Lola is an AI.”

Mack raised his eyebrows. “Seriously?”

“Well, he treats her like one. He might have an idea. But I never told him that his car was actually a doctor who was reporting to me every time something weird happened. It would have raised questions about the operation that I couldn’t risk answering.”

They opened their mouths to say something, but Nick held up a hand to stop them. “I know I’m being annoyingly vague, but it’s no longer my business to share the details. That’s up to Coulson now, and I really don’t think it’s anything to worry about anymore. Just focus on the mission I just gave you.”

“Need-to-know, right Sir?” Bobbi asked.

Nick pointed at her in agreement. He finished his drink and stood up to leave. “Good luck,” he said.

“Good luck, Sir,” said Mack.

“Sir?” said Bobbi.

Nick stopped at the door and turned around.

“Sorry about what happened. You know, with Hydra and everything.”

Nick smiled sadly. “Yeah. Me too.”


End file.
